Skype Translator, Microsoft’s real-time speech translation is ready for a preview release and Microsoft is rolling out a preview program sign-up page. The preview program is free and will initially be available for Windows 8.1 computers and tablets only, and will kick-off with a limited selection of languages. That said, as part of the sign-up process, you’ll have the chance to tell Microsoft which languages are important to you, what platforms you’d like to see added, and how you plan to use Skype Translator once it becomes available.

Language barriers have been a hindrance to productivity and human connection, but Skype Translator could pave the way for a more personal and more human era of computing.